Shah Hussain’s acquittal a major blow to fight for women rights in Pakistan

The recent judgment passed by the LHC acquitting Khadija Siddiqui’s attacker has managed to thwart all efforts being made by right activists all over the country. This isn’t exactly a surprise; we live in a country where every step taken in favour of women, of anyone oppressed actually, results in two steps being taken backwards and this is exactly what has happened.

Women continue facing harassment and are then encouraged, rather forced, to remain silent and the few brave ones who speak up are denied justice. What happened to Khadija is the outcome of a poorly raised man, one who wasn’t stopped the first time he kicked a girl. What happened to her is the outcome of ‘boys will be boys’. It is the outcome of the fact that men, from a young age, are allowed to get away with small things which eventually result into them attempting to murder a woman. Of course, they get away with that too.

According to Khadija, the accused and his defence resorted only to character assassination and mudslinging. What’s worse is that these tactics resulted in a beast being set free.

So, while everyone has condemned what has happened, what does all of this mean for Pakistani women?

For starters, it is a major blow to the morale of all the women out there who are struggling to get women the rights they deserve. After all, if a woman can be stabbed brutally with the intent of murder in broad daylight and her attacker is set free, does it leave any hope for millions of other women? Women who are abused by their husbands, women who are harassed by their colleagues, women who are made to feel uncomfortable by their peers. If a woman stabbed in the middle of the day was denied justice, how can a woman raped in the dead of night expect it?

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar’s earlier decision to withdraw security from Khadija further proves how the likes of Shah Hussain will roam the streets feeling empowered while millions of girls will live in more fear than they had been earlier.

Chief Justice Saqib Nisar’s earlier decision to withdraw security from Khadija further proves how the likes of Shah Hussain will roam the streets feeling empowered while millions of girls will live in more fear than they had been earlier.

Furthermore, this will lead to any fear of repercussions being eliminated within the likes of Shah Hussain. Anyone coming from a slightly influential family will now believe that he too can get away from a crime as heinous as that of Shah Hussain’s. When freedom is sold out there in the open, nothing can stand in the way of a man and his monstrosity. Chief Justice Saqib Nisar’s earlier decision to withdraw security from Khadija further proves how the likes of Shah Hussain will roam the streets feeling empowered while millions of girls will live in more fear than they had been earlier.

And finally, it brings us down to the basic concept of consent. Men already struggle to understand the concept of consent. If a classmate does not want to speak to you, you do not stab her 23 times and leave her to die. If a classmate does not wish to have anything to do with you, you do not stab her 23 times and leave her to die. Even if a classmate angers you, you do NOT stab her 23 times and leave her to die. Sadly, we butchered the concept of consent yesterday. Millions of other Shah Hussains will now feel entitled to committing barbaric acts simply because things did not go their way.

While the Chief Justice seems to have taken notice of the situation, it is sad that things have come to this point. It’s sad that for a case that should have been handled at its earliest, so much time is being taken. It just shows women all over the country that their fight against any injustice of this sort is going to be a long, arduous one with no certainty that justice will be served. As for Khadija, the man who attempted to murder her roams freely while security provided to her has been withdrawn. As of now, that man is a free man and will continue to remain so keeping in mind the precedent that has been set.